Strip serving machine



March 19, 1946. 'r. H. KRUEGER' 22,732

STRIP SERVING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 8, 1942 lNVENTOR Z5 56 5 45ATTORNEYS Reiuued Mar. 19, 1946 STRIP SERVING MACHINE Theodore H.Krueger, Stratford, Conn., assignmto Better Packages incorporated, acorporation of New York Original No. 2,362,640, dated November 14, 1944,Serial No. 454,153, August 8, 1942. Application for reissue November 13,1945, Serial No. 628,345

' 25 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for serving measuredlengths of strips or tape which are covered or impregnated On. one sidethereof with a pressure sensitive adhesive usually tacky or non-dryingeither permanently or during the period of use. The invention hasparticular utility in the various fields of use to which pressuresensitive adhesive tape is applied and I I especially is useful wherethe tape is required in short lengths such as fractional parts of afoot. It eliminates the tedious nuisance and waste involved in cuttinginaccurate lengths with ordinary scissors and provides a simple and easyoperating mechanism for speedily stripping from the roll, measuring,cutting anddelivering at a point ready for use, the desired length oftape.

The improved apparatus contemplates mechanical means for stripping thematerial or tape from the roll in predetermined lengths and comprisesgenerally a compact serving apparatus particularly designed to becarried in the pocket of the user and when in use, to be held in one tobe moved about its pivot in a direction away from the roll to draw tapefrom the roll for a predetermined distance whereby a predeterminedlength of tape is drawn from the roll. Means are provided for releasingthe pivoted element at the end of its arc of movement and for retumingit to its original position as well as means for severing the tape whichmeans may be associated with the element. Also are provided means forvarying the arc of movement of the element about its pivot so that thelengh of tape delivered may be varied.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pocket size deliveryapparatus for tacky tape par ticularly adapted for speedy and convenientserving of small strips of relatively narrow tacky material although itwill be of course understood that while the size of the construction isa feature, the invention is not to be limited to this feature and thedispenser or the principles of the invention involved therein maysuitably be applied to the delivery of larger strips of wider webmaterial.

It is a further object of the invention to pro vide a pull-out dispenserfor tacky tape having a support for theleading or free end of the tapeagainst which rests the non-tacky side of the tape and which is of sucha nature as to permit the finger of the operator to be app to the tackyside of the leading end of the tape in an endwise direction so that thetap is drawn out in line with the axis of the finger. Thus the cut of!piece of tape adheres to the finger in endwise alignment with the fingerso as to be readily applicable to the surface to which the tape is to beapplied. The edge of the tape supporting member may provide a tear-oil!edge for tearing off the free end of the tape while adhered to thefinger. Also mounted adjacent to the support for the leading end of thetape an adhesion member is provided to which the tacky side of the tapeadheres and is thereby held in position adjacent to the tape endsupport.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the followingdescription and the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device with one side wall removedshowing the tape delivery apparatus, the device being shown held in thehand of the user with the other hand of the user in the act ofwithdrawing a strip of tape;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a further step in theremoval-of a strip of tape, 0 and Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinalsection taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the device includes an outside casing II)which may be of metal, plastic or any other convenient relativelydurable material, such a material as Bakelite having been foundparticularly advantageous. The case III is preferably formed of twointerlocked frame members I! and I, each of which has the end toward thetape delivering portion of the machine open. Interlocking of the sideflanges of the frame members at the rear of the device is preferablyaccomplished by the flange l6 which keys with the edg of the portion II.The two case members are held together at the front portion of themachine by the lock post It. Obviously any other convenient meansdesired may be employed as a covering for the apparatus, it only beingnecessary that suflicient rigidity for mounting of the various parts beprovided.

The portion I4 is provided with the inwardly extending boss 20 and theportion I2 is similarly provided with a complementary boss 22 which havemounted between them the shaft 24 upon which the roll 26 of. stripmaterial 28 may conveniently be mounted. The interior of the casing isalso provided forwardly of the mounting of the roll 28 withcomplementary bosses 28 and 88 which mount between them the tape guideroller 82. Similarly interiorly mounted bosses 84 and 88 carry pivot 88upon which is pivotally mounted tape delivery element or yoke 48 whichis normally spring pressed by spring 42 into the rearward position shownin Figure 2. As illustrated in Figure 3, the yoke 48 includes sidemembers descending downwardly from the pivot 88 and a base member 42which joins the side members, and constitutes a support for the leadingend of the tape. The base 42 is preferably apertured as at 44 and alsoextends forwardly of the side members of the yoketerminating in =acutting edge 46 which may be serrated to facilitate cutting if desired.

The forward movement of the yoke 48 about the pivot 88 is limited by apin 48. Each of the walls I2 and I4 are provided as shown in Figures 2and 3 with toothed apertures 58 which may be cut through the walls asshown. The pin 48 may fit into the recesses between the teeth in theaperture 58 and will be held in position in whatever recess it is placedby the spring 52. It can be seen therefore that the pin 48 may be placedin any of the four recesses shown and it will be understood of coursethat any number of recesses may be provided and thus the length oftravel of the yoke 48 from its rearmost' position against the roller 32forwardly, will be determined.-

The operation of the device is as follows: The length of strip desiredis first set by positioning the pin 48. The thumb and forefinger arethen inserted into the device on either side of the base member 42 sothat when the thumb and forefinger grasp the tape and the yoke, theforefinger A contacts the tacky side of the tape and the thumb Bcontacts the yoke and the untreated or non-tacky side of the tapethrough aperture 44. The yoke and the web are now drawn for-. ward tothe forward position illustrated in Figure 1 until the yoke 48 meets thepin 48 at which time the yoke can travel no further. The thumb B is nowmomentarily released as illustrated in Figure 2 and the yoke 48 underthe influence of spring 42 moved backward against the guide roll 32, thedrawn portion of th web remaining adhered to the forefinger A. The thumbis now placed back against the tape again and the tape drawn down asshown in Figure 2 against the cutting edge 48 where the deliveredportion of tape is easily severed. The apparatus is now ready fordelivery of a second piece, of tape by grasping the portion 42 of theyoke 48 as heretofore described.

It will be observed that the tape roller 32 constitutes an adhesionmember to which the tape adheres near its end, while the machine is idlebetween successive operations. This adhesion roller thus supports theleading end of the tape and holds it in position adjacent to the basemember or tape supporting plate 42 which supports the end of the tapeready to be grasped for the next dispensing operation. In the example ofthe invention shown the end of the tape is held so that its non-adhesiveside is adjacent to the member 42, and such end projects beyond theadhesion roller 82 sufliciently to permit the end of the finger to beapplied to the adhesive on such projecting end for drawing out the tape.It is furthermore to be observed that the finger is applied in a lenthwise direction so that the end of the tape sticks to the fingerlengthwise and in the leading end of the tape whereby tape may I line ofthe finger. when the tape is torn at it therefore projects endwise fromthe finger and is in the most convenient position for application to thepackage or other article upon which the tape is to be used.

While I have illustrated and described in detail certain forms of myinvention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the useof such forms, as I realize that changes within the scope of theinvention are possible, and I further intend each element orinstrumentality recited in any of the following claims to be un-'-derstood to refer to all equivalent elements or instrumentalities foraccomplishing substantially the same result in substantially the same orequivalent manner, it being my purpose to cover my invention broadly inwhatever form its prlnciple may be utilized. 1

I claim: 1. An apparatus for dispensing measured strips of tape having asupport for a supply of the tape, a pivotally mounted measuring element,

a back stop and means to urge said element normally against said backstop, said element being mounted to be grasped simultaneously with bedrawn from the roll while advancing said element about its pivotalmounting, a stop limiting the forward movement of said element about itspivot, and means on said element to sever the thus delivered strip aftersaid element has returned to its normal position against the back stop.

2. In a device for dispensing tacky tape, a

pivoted yoke measuring element having a tape engaging zone and anaperture in said zone and guide means to direct the leading end of thetape past said zone with the non-tacky side of means to support a supplyof tape, a pivoted yoke measuring element, means to direct the leadingend of the tape past said yoke and an opening in said device admittingthe finger and thumb of the operator to grasp said yoke and said tapesimultaneously to draw tape from the supply.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 having an adjustable stop limiting theextent to which said least one finger of the operator to contact thetape and withdraw the same through the opening.

'7. A pocket strip dispensing apparatus adapted to be operated when heldin the palm of the hand of the operator including an outside casinghaving substantially parallel walls, a closed end and a partially openend, means in the casing upon which a supplyof tape may be mounted, ayoke member pivotally mounted between said walls adjacent said open end,means to direct the leading end of the tape past the end of said yokemember remote from said pivot, means to move the end of said yoke memberthrough a predetermined are through said opening while drawing tape fromthe supply, said arc terminatin outside of said frame member, and meanson said yoke member remote from said pivotal mounting for severing awithdrawn strip.

8. In a device for dispensing tacky tape, a support for a supply of tapeto be fed, a pivoted measuring element having a tape engaging portionand guide means to direct the leading end of the tape past said tapeengaging portion with the non-tacky side -of the tape facing saidportion.

, 9. A tape dispensing apparatus having means to support a supply oftape, a measuring element mounted for limited movement towards and fromthe supply of tape, and having a tape supporting part mounted to moveedgewise in the general direction in which the tape is fed, mean forlimiting the movement of said element in said direction, said tapesupporting part being of such i mensions that it may be grasped betweenthe fingers of the hand with the tape supported thereon and manuallydrawn out with the tape to measure and limit the length of tapewithdrawn, and a severing means movable with said part against which thetape may be severed when the tape supporting part is in its positionnearest to the tape supply.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 in which the severing meansconstitutes the edge of said tape supporting part.

11. An apparatus as claimed in' claim 9 having spring means forreturning the tape supporting part to its position nearest to a tapesupply.

12. A tape dispensing apparatus having means to support a supply oftape, a. measuring element comprising a swinging arm carrying a tapesupporting part at the outer end thereof movable towards and from thesupply of tape in the general direction in which the tape is fed, meansfor limiting movement of said element in said direction, said tapesupporting part being of such dimensions that it may be grasped by thefingers of the hand with the tape supported thereon, and manually drawnout with the tape to measure and limit the length of tape withdrawn, anda, severing means against which the tape may be severed when the tapesupporting part is in its position nearest to the tape supply.

13. In a device for dispensing tacky tape, a support for a supply oftape to be fed, a measuring element mounted for limited movement in adirection towards and from the supply of tape, said measuring elementhaving a tape supporting surface of such size'that it may be graspedbetween. the fingers together with the end of the tacky tape restingthereon, the edge of said tape supporting surface constituting tapetear-oif means, and guide means to direct the leading end of the tapeinto a position adjacent to said tape supporting surface with thenon-tacky side of the tape facing said surface. j

14. A device as claimed in claim 13 in which a spring is provided forreturning the measuring element to its position nearest to the source oftape supply.

15. A machine fo delivering strips of tacky material having a supportfor a supply of material, an apertured reciprocating feed element, meansto guide the leading end of the tape I through said element and theninto substantially the path of its movement, a knife to sever adelivered strip, said knife being mounted to provide a leading end oftape extending beyond the end of said feed element whereby the finger ofthe operator will encounter said leading end.

16. A machine for delivering strips of tacky material including asupport for a supply of the material, a reciprocating feed elementmounted for reciprocal movement in a direction at an angle to the planeof the tape web as it is drawn from the supply, means to place andmaintain the leading end of the tape adjacent to the feed element in thedirection of movement of said element and means on the feed elementpermitting simultaneous grasping of th feed element and the leading endof the tape.

17. A device for serving strips of tacky material including a supportfor a roll of tape, a reciprocating measuring element mounted forreciprocal movement in the direction of feed of the tape, guide meansfor guiding the leading end of the tape into a position adjacent to atape engaging surface of the reciprocating measuring element, saidelement being formed to permit it to be grasped together with theleading nd of the tape with the fingers of one hand, so that the tape ispressed against the tape engaging surface of the reciprocating elementand the tape and element may be simultaneously drawn from the machine bythe fingers, and means whereby the measuring element is automaticallyreturned to its initial position as soon as released.

18. A device for serving strips of tacky material including a supportfor a roll of tape, a reciprocating measuring element mounted forreciprocal movement in the direction of feed of the tape, guide meansfor guiding the leading end of the tape into a position adjacent to atape engaging surface of the reciprocating measuring element, saidelement being formed to permit it to be grasped togethe with the leadingend of the tape with the fingersof one hand, with the axis of the fingerengaging the tacky side of tape extending in the general direction ofthe length of the tape in which direction the tape is pulled to withdrawthe same and so that the tape i pressed against the tape engagingsurface of the reciprocating element and the tape and element may besimultaneously drawn from the machine by the fingers, and means wherebythe measuring element is automatically returned to its initial positionas soon as released.

19. In a pull-out dispenser for tacky tape, a support for a supply oftape to be fed, a movable measuring element having a tape engagingportion, and an adhesion roller engaging the tacky side ofthe tape todirect the leading end of the tape adjacent to said tape engagingportion with the nontacky side of the tape facing said portion, saidadhesion roller serving to hold the leading end of the tape in positionby adhesion of the tape thereto.

20. In a pull-out dispenser for tacky tape, a support for a roll of tapeto be dispensed, an adhesion roller in contact with which the tapepasses when pulled from the roll of tape, said adhesion roller engagingthe tacky side of the tape, a measuring element mounted for limitedmovement towards and from the adhesion roller, said measuring elementhaving a tape engaging surface at the opposite side of the tape pathfrom the adhesion roller, the end of the tape engaging surfaceprojecting beyond the adhesion roller a sufficient distance to permitthe end of the operator's finger to be applied to the adhesive surfaceof the leading end of the tape for the purpose of pulling out the tape,said support for the leading end of the tape terminating in a tear-oi!edge.

21. In a pull-out dispenser for tacky tape, a support for a roll of tapeto be dispensed, a support for the leading end of the tape having a tapeengaging surface over which the tape is adapted to be pulled with thenontacky side of the tape facing said surface, and an adhesion membermounted adjacent said tape engaging surface at the opposite side of thetape path therefrom and in position to adhere to the tacky side of thetape and thereby hold the leading end of the tape in position, the endof the tape engaging surface projecting beyond the adhesion member adistance sufllcient to-permit the end of the operators finger to beapplied to the adhesive surface of the leading end of the tape for thepurpose of pulling out the tape.

22. In a pull-out dispenser for tacky tape, a support for a roll of tapeto be dispensed, a support for the leading end of the tape having a tapeengaging surface, and an adhesion roller adjacent the receiving end ofthe tape end support, said adhesion roller serving by engagement withthe tacky side of the tape to retain the leading end of the tape inproximity to the tape end support with the nontacky side of the tapefacing the tape engaging surface thereof.

23. In a pull-out dispenser for tacky tape, a support for a roll of tapeto be dispensed, a support for the leading end of the tape having a tapeengaging surface, an adhesion roller adjacent the tape engaging surface,said adhesion roller serving by engagement with the tacky side saves ofthe tape to retain the leading end of the idle tape in proximity to thetape engaging surface where it can be conveniently engaged on its tackyface by a finger of theoperator and pulled out, and a tape tear-oil.edge at the delivery end of the tape enga ng surface.

24. In a pull-out dispenser for tacky tape, a support for a roll of tapeto be dispensed, a support for the leading end of the tape having a tapeengaging surface, an adhesion roller adjacent the receiving end of thetape engaging surface, said adhesion roller serving ,by engagement withthe tacky side of the tape to retain the leading end of the idle tape inproximity to the tape engaging surface where it can be convenientlyengaged on its tacky face by a finger of the operator disposedlengthwise of the tape and pulled out.

25. In a pull-out dispenser for tacky tape, a support for a roll of tapeto be dispensed, an adhesion roller in contact with which the tapepasses from the supply roll, the adhesive surface of the tape engagingand adhering to said adhesion roller, and a tape supporting plate forsupporting the leading end of the tape with the nonadhesive side of thetape facing said plate, said plate extending a, short distance beyondthe adhesion roller and projecting sufficiently to permit the thumb andfinger of the operator to embrace

